Object: Pipe Nebula and hub of the Galaxy
Date: 6/07/08, 3-4am CST
Location: Texas Star Party - near Fort Davis, TX.
Guiding: Camera was mounted side by side on a G11 mount with a TV85 refractor guided using an ST10.
Camera: Modified Canon 350XT using a Canon 50mm lens stopped to f/3.5
Exposure: 12 x 5 minutes, ISO800
Processing: Registered and stacked (Sigma Clipped Median) in ImagesPlus. Final levels and curves in PS. 
Comments: The dark nebula predominant on the right side of the above photograph is known as the Pipe Nebula. The stem of the pipe is pointed up toward the upper right corner of the image.  The dark clouds, suggestively shaped like smoke rising from the bowl, are caused by absorption of background starlight by dust. (Comments from APOD website.)

© Dave Dockery 2008